Black Ink
by Satanic Mechanic
Summary: It leaves it mark on you forever, sometimes more than just skin deep. Eventual KaiJou.
1. one

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.

.Black Ink.

It was a strange line of work, the business came sporadically and unexpectedly. Most people immediately frowned upon his job title, they didn't understand, they didn't appreciate it for the artform that it was. Jou had, and that was saying something, consider how most people seemed to consider him less than brilliant.

Stupid was just such a crude word.

He always considered himself a people person, and being able to work so intimately with others was something that he considered a privilege. It was exciting, he couldn't explain it, but knowing that his canvas was a living, breathing, -bleeding- thing, just pushed him to work at it harder, to love it more. It was amazing, truly a feeling he couldn't accurately explain to anyone.

Now, most people know him to be a frivolous, not too responsible young man, and would not consider letting him anywhere near them with a sharp pointy object. He had experienced this kind of reaction upon telling his friends his change of job news. And he had to admit, a year ago, -he- wouldn't have let himself come near him with a needle if his life depended on it.

When it came to his work however, he found it all too easy to sink into a state of total control, focusing on and only on the task at hand. It became a new passion, it gave him a meaning to go on everyday, similar to the feeling he once held for duel monsters. One time Honda had come down to visit, he stopped by the shop to watch Jou work. Afterwards he had stared at the blonde strangely before telling him how scared he was to see him so concentrated and checked outside to make sure there wasn't any flying pigs.

Now, domino City wasn't all that of a tattoo hot spot. Most people were more interested in spending their well-earned money on some advanced techno gadgets that were always premiering every other week, thanks to Kaiba corp. That or duel monster cards, a phase Jou was glad he was getting out of seeing as it was such a money hog, also thanks to Kaiba corp. It seemed that the CEO could screw him over even if he wasn't trying, real talent that guy.

"Hey Jou! There's this guy who wants to get a large dragon tattoo done...I thought it might be more your thing." Jou was annoyed from the disruption, but still intrigued. He liked doing fantasy beasts the most, he supposed that rubbed off from his days as a duelist. He used to spend ages sketching out his favorite monsters as a hobby, and it sort of just grew from there. People say that playing games was just a waste of time, Jou had to disagree, it pretty much helped shape his entire character up till now.

Jou groaned, as he looked up from his current job, just finishing up the red lace on the edge of the fairy's tunic. "Can't this wait?" He asks, turning off the needle and taking the time to stretch out his cramped hand. The tattoo was almost done and he would have liked to finish it before he lost is stride. Too bad life usually had other things planned for him then what he liked.

"I'm afraid not, it's quite important." Replied the older man, his mentor to be exact. The one who had taught him everything when he had decided to become an apprentice, taking the art seriously. It had all started a little over a year ago, after he had graduated high school. All his friends we're going off to college or doing something meaningful with their lives. Anzu was off in America, taking her love of dance to the stage. Yugi had went to a good school in Kyoto, and Honda was working in some tech school, learning how to fix cars and getting paid at the same time or something to that effect.

That was hard on him, not only the fact that mostly all his friends had left him, but also the fact the -he- wasn't one of those ones that were leaving. Nope, still stuck in Domino, cramped up in a run down apartment with his less than sober dad. His grades weren't really good enough to get him into any decent kind of school, and even if they were, money in his household was almost non existent.

Not to mention the fact that he wouldn't want to waste good money on an education he'd probably waste anyway, he was never really a school person. I mean, what had he really learned in high school? Nothing really, except how to sleep while sitting up.

The summer before his friends drifted away went by fast, but it was filled with some of the happiest memories of his life. Not really anything extraordinary, just hanging out, laughing, playing games, and getting drunk occasionally. Once the fall came, things had died down, and Jou found himself completely lonely and bored, so he decided on finding a full time job, save up money, do -something-.

He had originally come into the shop, pissed off, afraid he would almost never get hired anywhere. Getting a tattoo was always something he had wanted to do, and what better time then when he was feeling like shit and wanted to get out whatever was left of teenage rebellion.

He never did get one though, not that day, or any of the others after that. He had an idea of what he wanted, where he wanted it, but it would wait, until he knew he was ready. Until then he decided to buy time inking up others. Many of whom were clueless teenagers just like he had been, not knowing what they were getting themselves into. Ready to throw whatever meaningless crap on their skin just to be in with the fad. It made him feel guilty sometimes, being the one to throw on a lot of the crap, but hey, it paid the bills.

Which is what he was doing right now, finishing up the last of an eight-hour shift.

"Alright." The blonde sighed and got up, obeying the command from the one whom he respected greatly, even if he was an annoying slave driver at times. "I'm sorry, I'll be back in a few okay? Why don't you just relax for awhile." Jou smiled down at the girl in his chair, one hand holding up the girl's left pant leg so that Jou could work on her ankle, the other squeezing a fluffy white teddy bear to her chest in an almost visible death grip.

"Ok, thanks." The girl smiled back, shifting slightly to that she could view her mostly finished tattoo as the blonde walked out of the room.

Jou pulled off his white plastic gloves and threw them in the trash as he walked into the front of the shop. He grabbed a cookie that was sitting on the counter in a basket, letting it hang half way out of his mouth as he nibbled on the other end. His boss gave him some sort of strange look, to which Jou raised his eyebrow at. "What? I'm hungry!"

The older man sighed and put a hand over the boys mouth, shoving down the chocolate chip treat none too gently. "Look professional for once, will ya? How do you expect to impress and important customer when you have food hanging out of your mouth?"

Jou only choked a little bit before he looked up to glare at the older man. "Who could be so damn important anyway?" He asked as he followed the man into a private office in the side of the store, one that he had only been in a couple times. Instantly regretting his words the moment he walked into the cramped space. He should have goddamn well know. He always had a way of jinxing himself.

"You have something on your..." The cold voice replied as he gestured towards the blonde's mouth, which was looking rather unflattering hanging open like that. He smirked slightly as the boy hurriedly wiped away the cookie remainders before taking a seat at the cluttered desk.

Jou cleared his throat slightly before he spoke, looking up at his mentor in hopes of some sort of encouragement, but received nothing but a blank stare. This was all up to him. "Mr. Kaiba, how may I be of service to you today?" He choked out in the most forced friendly manner he had ever heard himself utter.

TBC


	2. two

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.

A/N: Thanks to Jennie over at the 'Lair' for offering to beta. I think it made a great improvement.

Jou really shouldn't have been surprised. If there was anyone obsessed enough to get a tattoo of their favorite Duel Monsters card, it was Kaiba. The brunette had calmly explained that he wanted the likeness of the blue-eyes engraved on his back, while Jou listened and nodded politely. What really surprised him though, was the fact that this was not going to be a simple design. No, it was going to take up most of that slender back, definitely a long process.

"I'm sure you know the basic design already. I am leaving it to you to draw up a sketch, and tomorrow I will come see what you have done. Then I will decide whether or not it meets my standards," Seto explained in a tone that he probably used to carry out most of his business. Jou was grateful that at least he had the decency to address him professionally in his place of work. Considering their history, it was a welcome change.

"Understood. I'll get working on it right away!" Jou smiled and stood up just as Kaiba did, offering his hand for a good shake, which was promptly ignored.

"Tomorrow at noon then," Seto stated in a matter-of-fact tone before walking out of the office and out of the shop. It wasn't until Jou heard the bell at the top of the door ring as it opened and closed, that he lowered his hand and frowned. Normally, he would have been most offended if one of his customers had declined such an offer, and most likely would have told them to take their business elsewhere. But this was Kaiba, and that statement pretty much spoke for itself, sort of like a 'get out of jail free' card when it came to being an asshole.

Jou turned to his boss and sighed as he noticed the grin on his face. "You happy now?"

"Oh yes, I'm excited for the both of you. It's going to be a great learning experience." Jou quirked his eyebrow at the statement, not sure what it meant before the elder man continued. "Well, don't just stand there! Go home and get your ass in gear! That design needs to be perfect."

"Love to, but in case you forgot, I still have someone in back."

"I'll take care of that, you go home and get working." Jou didn't like the idea of someone else finishing his job, but followed orders nonetheless. It was getting late, and he did want to get some food in him before he began drawing out Kaiba's design to absolute perfection, under fear of certain death. He wasn't sure who he was more afraid to disappoint at this point: Kaiba, his boss, or himself. Yeah, it was stressing him out already.

Jou gripped his pencil tightly as he pressed it down hard into the sketch pad below. Aiming to make every sharp claw menacing, every curve of the elegant wing perfect. There were already several crumpled pieces of paper littering the room, all failed attempts. He seemed to find things wrong with all the previous designs; or at least, room for improvement. The piece he was working on now seemed promising, though. So, lost in his own little world, Jou practically jumped out of his damned skin when the phone on his bedstand rang. The blonde groaned when he realized his sudden movement had caused him to draw a crisp dark line across the width of the dragon. Just peachy.

Shifting slightly from his position, lying on his stomach with his book open on top of his pillows, Jou reached over and snatched the phone off of the receiver. "Hello?" Jou dropped the pencil and sat up in a more comfortable position. His neck and back were starting to feel strained.

"Hi Jou, I hope I'm not calling too late," a soft voice spoke and Jou smiled, instantly recognizing the voice and finding much needed comfort in it. Shizuka was one of the few people that mattered to him that was still relatively close by, considering it would be a few more years before she finished high school.

"No problem Shizuka, I wasn't sleeping or anything," he replied, glancing curiously over at the clock and reading 12:44. Had he really been working on this thing for that long? It had felt like nine o'clock just a few minutes ago.

"Shouldn't you be? You have work in the morning right?" she asked in a concerned manner.

"Yeah, but I have to finish up an important project."

"Oh really? What kind?"

"A big damned dragon tattoo...and guess who it's for?" Jou grinned as he clutched the receiver to his ear, eager to share the news with someone who would appreciate it, wondering why he hadn't gotten around to it before.

"Who?" came the curious voice.

"Seto freakin' Kaiba!"

"No way!" the girl gasped as he brother laughed on the other end of the line.

"Yeah way! I know, I wasn't expecting it either, trust me."

"Hmm, did he start calling you any dog names yet?" Shizuka giggled, remembering what an issue it had been during their high school years, and how much it had annoyed her brother.

"No, actually, but knock on wood, will ya?"

"I don't understand though...when he saw it was you, why didn't he just turn around and leave?"

Jou frowned at that, wondering why he hadn't already considered that himself. "I dunno, you bring up a good question."

"Maybe he's finally growing up."

"Yeah, maybe."

"I think you both are."

"Alright, well I should go, if I want to finish this thing anytime soon." The blonde sighed, not wanting to end his conversation so short, but knowing it was for the best if he didn't want to be a walking Jou zombie in the morning.

"Okay, good luck brother."

"Thanks Shizuka, good night." The blonde placed the phone back down and turned his attention towards the recent bane of his existence. The mark he had left earlier could probably be erased, but he'd be taking much of the design around the area with it. Sighing, Jou ripped out the page and threw it on the floor with its brothers. Back to the drawing board.

The man behind the counter looked up to see a bleary eyed blonde swaggering into the shop almost an hour late, but he wasn't going to bitch about that, at least not today. "You look like crap," the man replied as he flicked some ash from his cigarette into a glass tray, the other hand holding a tall cup of his usual morning coffee.

"Yeah, well I'm no doctor, but I'm guessing it might have something to do with the fact that I was up all night." Jou grumbled as he took a seat by the counter, eyeing the man's coffee as if it was an elixir of the gods.

"Hn, really now? Keeping some interesting company lately?" the man leered as Jou glared up at him from underneath disheveled bangs.

"Shut up you perv, you know what I was doing," the blonde huffed, but quickly changed his tone as he smiled up at the older man. "So Kudo, would you be kind enough to let me have some of that?" He gestured over to the steaming cup.

"Hmm, what's the magic word?" Kudo grinned, picking up the cup and holding it out, but not yet offering.

Jou groaned. "Please?" The blonde's tune changed as the man gave him the coffee, and he began eagerly drinking it down, just barely managing to utter a small sound of thanks.

"It is my duty not only to teach you the mechanics of tattooing, but also ethics for your everyday life, such as politeness." Kudo spoke in a very sensei like manner, before scowling a second later. "Leave some for me will you? Damn!" the man hissed as he pried the cup out of the blonde's hand, offering him a donut instead, watching as it disappeared down the black hole known as Jounouchi's mouth. The man sighed, making a note to keep hands and feet away from the blonde at all times, before poking him in the shoulder. "So, did you finish the design?"

"Of course." Jou swallowed. "Did you think I would even bother showing my face here if I didn't?" He pulled out his art book and flipped through some pages, finding what he was looking for and handing it to his boss.

"Hmm...not bad." The man spoke slowly as he surveyed the drawing. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"He'd better," Jou snorted. "I mean, he should, it's exactly what he asked for. Of course, when it comes to Kaiba, one never really knows."

It had been a few of the longest hours of Jou's life, at least that's what it felt like as he waited for Kaiba. He hadn't really been nervous before, but after all the crap Kudo had been drilling in his head since he walked through the door, he sure as hell was now. 'The more people you work on, and the better job you do, the more customers you will receive. Imagine someone as well known as Seto Kaiba being your walking advertisement, your very own living billboard? This could be huge for you.'

Seto Kaiba was an important person, but he was also a very private person, Jou knew this. He doubted that anyone on the face of the planet was going to see that tattoo besides the two of them. Well, with the exception of Mokuba, maybe. Jou smiled at that thought, wondering how the kid was doing. Jou heard the familiar sound of the door opening and closing and quick, precise footsteps coming his way. He glanced up at the clock on the wall, seeing that it read 12:00, nothing more nothing less.

"Good morning Mr. Kaiba," Kudo greeted from behind the counter, and Kaiba nodded in recognition.

"Jounouchi, do you have what I requested?"

The blonde nodded and reached for the book lying on the counter, noticing the way his hands were shaking slightly and cursing himself for it. That was not a good quality for a tattoo artist to have after all, and he was really hoping Kaiba wouldn't notice. "Here you go." Jou showed him to the right page and watched tensely as the man blinked down with his unreadable face. It was a view of the dragon from the back, wings spread out on either side, head tilted to the side and bearing sharp teeth, and a long twisting tail behind, almost as though he was in flight. "Uh..." Jou cleared his throat when Kaiba still didn't say anything. "You see, the design is mostly symmetrical," he began to explain, "The body of the dragon will center on your spine, while the wings will began at each shoulder blade, and the tail will end somewhere on your lower back."

"Hn," Kaiba nodded, staring for a few more moments before he turned to Jou and handed him back the book. "I am impressed with you, for once." Jou frowned, as the brunette just had to add in that last bit of snark. "When can we start?"

"Start?" Was that a yes? That had to be a yes. Yes? "Well...I guess right now is fine." Seto nodded as he let Jou lead him to one of the private rooms in the back. Jou took one last look behind him, seeing his boss give him the 'thumbs up', before he closed the door. Jou adjusted the chair, similar to the kind most dentists used, to a position that would be right for Kaiba to lie face down. He looked up to see Kaiba still standing at the doorway with his arms crossed, seemingly taking in his surroundings cautiously. "Kaiba? Why don't you get comfortable while I prepare?"

"Fine." Kaiba walked towards the chair and smirked slightly as he noticed a few stuffed animals near by.

"You should take it off."

"What?"

Jou chuckled slightly as he pulled out the approved design, slipping it into the machine that somewhat resembled a photocopier. "Your shirt."

"Of course, I'm no fool, I just couldn't hear you over that...machine." Kaiba replied, sounding like he had wanted to come off cold, but not exactly succeeding.

Jou smirked as he thought that perhaps he was nervous, being out of his element and in the hands of someone he once tortured. Now that he thought about it, he was beginning to wonder what was going on in the man's complex, mixed up mind.

"This will probably take a few days to complete. Today I will be doing the basic outline," Jou informed him as he pulled out the slick sheet from the stencilling machine that held the dragon about to be applied to Kaiba's skin.

"I understand," the brunette said as he pulled his shirt over his head, folding it neatly before walking over to the chair.

Jou turned to see the pale, lean back turned to him, a perfect blank canvas. He felt a sort of strange tingling sensation in the tips of his fingers, aching to grab the first needle he saw and get to work. Part of him, the vengeful part, was eager to cause the great Seto Kaiba some amount of pain, a bit of well-earned pay back. The other part, the dirty, sadistic part, couldn't wait to mar that perfect rich boy skin, putting the brunette completely at his mercy. "Just relax." Jou spoke as he watched Kaiba get settled in, lying on his stomach with his head resting on folded arms. "I promise it won't hurt too badly."

"I'm not afraid of the pain."


	3. three

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

Before we start, here's a few responses to reviewers:

MotherCHOWgoddess: Heh, thanks, I was going for 'different' and I'm glad you think so too. I don't know where the artistic!jou thing came from...but I still think it suits him.

Darkmus: Thanks, I'm glad you noticed. I had to do a lot of research, because I have never actually been inside a tattoo palor in my life.

Sakata Ri Houjun: Yes, sometimes the dark brooding characters can pimp the ink too. I freaking love 'The Crow' by the way, and not because it's like one of the fads that they push on you at Hot Topic and all that, I just always have since I saw it when it came out. Sorry to disappoint you though, but I didn't plan on having the tattoo go that low...although it is a really good idea, perhaps there will be a change later on.

Thanks to everyone else who reviewed, and to Jennie, by beta. Okay...on with the chapter!

A low humming sound filled the relatively quiet room, causing Kaiba to twitch slightly, but he didn't bother to voice his annoyance. He flinched again and cursed to himself as he felt something soft and wet began dabbing at his back. The humming only got louder; some strange, nameless tune that could only be the creation of a certain blonde airhead.

"Must you do that?" snapped the annoyed voice, causing Jou to pause in his ministrations.

"Yeah, if you don't want it to get infected and everything..."

The brunette rolled his eyes, realizing afterwards that it was a gesture the annoying one could not see. "I meant the humming. Stop it."

"Oh...sorry." Jou frowned as he dabbed some more antiseptic on the man's back. "Just stay still, okay?"

"Hn. Obviously," Seto snorted as he felt the hands upon him leave, only to return a few minutes later, accompanied by something sticky that clung to his back. He mentally reminded himself that it was probably the stencil Jou had taken out of the machine a few minutes ago. That also meant that they would be getting down to business real soon.

Jou pulled away the clear sheet, which was similar to the kind of thing temporary tattoos came on, and looked down to see that the design set firmly in place and ready to go. Seto tilted his head to the side to watch Jou slip on a pair of white latex doctors' gloves; the ones with the powder that made your hands smell awful. The latex covered hands moved to a container and pulled out a plastic wrapped needle, opened it up and inserted it into the machine sitting near the chair he currently occupied.

"All set, you ready?" Jou asked as he pulled his chair closer, hovering over Seto's back.

"I'm always ready," came the smug reply.

"Alrighty. It will burn at first, but you will get used to it." Jou smiled as he turned on the instrument in his hand, feeling it vibrate and come to life, eager to begin his most recent challenge. There was still that little part of him that wanted to jam that needle into the brunette's eye, but the desire to create a beautiful piece of art on the arrogant man was far more stronger.

The blonde set to work, reminding himself that even though this was the great Seto Kaiba, he still needed to be gentle. Kaiba was new to this, feeling the vibration and the sting of the needle against his skin for the first time. Jou moved slowly towards the spinal area, noticing Seto's sharp intake of breath and the way his body trembled ever so slightly. From experience, he knew that this spot was one of the most painful, but the bastard just bit his lip so Jou pressed on. He knew there was no way Seto was going to show any sort of weakness, even if the toughest guys would be tearing up right now. "Stubborn little thing," he thought.

"So, see any good movies lately?" Jou asked, smirking even though the CEO couldn't see him. He usually liked to make small talk with the clients to help ease the tension and to get their minds off the fact that there was a needle drilling into their skin about ten times per second. Of course, he knew when it came to Kaiba, starting something as simple as a polite conversation was about as easy as trying to dig a ditch with a toothpick.

"Mutt, be quiet," was the simple response. Kaiba sure had some nerve, calling him a dog at a time like this, and just when he had thought that the brunette might have been growing out of the annoying little habit. Jou thought perhaps that Kaiba was simply resorting back to his old tactics, something familiar to comfort him. Deciding that he didn't want to give Kaiba any more chances to piss him off and 'accidentally' screw up his tattoo, Jou gave up on conversation and worked silently.

The first few hours were intense, Jou concentrating on making every curve of the elegant wings perfect, every sharp claw menacing. Seto was concentrating on being as quiet as possible, shifting once in a while if he got too uncomfortable. This annoyed Jou to no end. He found himself being a little less gentle than he normally was, wanting to hear some sort of sound of discomfort, some sort of sign that he was truly a living, breathing thing.

Suddenly Jou found that he was starting to dislike Kaiba even more, if that was even possible. One of the things he liked most about his job was that his art was alive. But Kaiba was like a damned rock. Jou had been half-hoping to see something different in the stoic man today, but everything was pretty much the same. Kaiba was as much of a prick with his shirt on as when it was off. Hell, he hardly even bled! Honestly, it was really starting to freak him out. He remembered all the times he used to joke with Honda, saying that Kaiba couldn't be human, that he had to be some sort of robot.

The blond was snapped out of his inner ranting as he heard a harsh hiss from below him. Success! Finally a response! However, his rejoicing was cut short when he looked down to see a growing spot of blood emanating from the tip of the dragon's left wing. Did he always have to speak so soon? He had let the needle sink in too deep, and now the bastard was actually bleeding.

"I thought you knew what the hell you were doing!" Kaiba snapped as Jou scrambled to make everything better, applying pressure and apologizing profusely.

"I am so sorry!" Jou dabbed at the spot and breathed a sigh of relief as he realized it was already beginning to stop bleeding. "These things happen sometimes, everything is fine," Jou assured Kaiba, not liking the fact that he had let the brunette get a bad impression of his work so early on.

"Just try to be more careful. You're supposed to be a professional here, Jounouchi. You shouldn't be so careless," Kaiba said sternly, almost in a lecturing manner, before putting his head back down and playing dead once more.

Jou nodded his head, liking the sound of the words 'professional' and 'Jounouchi' used in the same sentence, returning to his work with renewed vigor, covering that smooth, pale skin with a map of intricate black lines.

"Same time tomorrow then?" Jou asked as he finished patching up Kaiba's back, satisfied that the basic lining of the design was done, and that he wouldn't have to worry as much about screwing up after this. The mistake that he made earlier in the day was a minor one, and most likely would not be noticed by anyone.

"Agreed."

Jou nodded his head. He realized that Kaiba must be taking time off from work for this, and he couldn't help but feel slightly privileged -- how often did that happen? Still, one thing was bothering him, one thing that would probably bother him all day if he didn't ask now.

"Kaiba? Can I ask you something before you leave?"

"I suppose," Kaiba said as he slid on his long coat, smoothing down the cuffs, and turning to Jou when the blonde still remained silent after a few moments. "Well?"

"Um...it's just...Why exactly did you pick me to do your tattoo? It's not like we have the best relationship. It just seems odd that you would trust someone like me with your body."

"An understandable question," Kaiba remarked, a look of contemplation on his face while he chose his answer. "While I know that you're the type to lash out violently when you are being attacked, I hardly think that you are one to hurt someone when they have their backs turned to you. I trust you with that much." He answered, silently impressed with the fact that Jounouchi had come up with and intelligent question for once and saw fit to answer it in a respectful manner.

Jou nodded and that was the end of the conversation. He realized that Kaiba understood him better than he thought, and that bothered him just a little more than he would have liked.

Kaiba hissed as he slid into the leather interior, finding the friction against the skin of his tender back most uncomfortable. For about the fiftieth time today he found himself questioning his decision. He knew that it was completely irrational, and that was not like him. What had made him think he had any business getting a tattoo? He was Seto Kaiba for Christ's sake, not some immature street punk! Maybe it was that fact that the idea was so contradictory to his whole persona that had made him want to do it -- having this secret thing, just for him, and knowing that the public didn't have him as figured out as well as they thought. That was as good a reason as any, he supposed, and he might as well do something like that while he was still young. Unfortunately, his cautious, almost paranoid, side was constantly nagging at him. If it came out horrible, then what would he do? What if ten years from now he would want to kick himself for getting a tattoo of his most prized monster? He would have to live with it forever, and he didn't know if he was ready for that. He already had enough emotional baggage, and he didn't really need to add physical branding to his list.

However, the part that really bothered him wasn't the fact that he was being completely foolish, or reckless with his body. It was the fact that it had to be him, the damned mutt. He could have, he should have just walked away, but that would make him look weak, and he didn't do weak. He wasn't a fool, he had done thorough research on every tattoo parlor in town, he knew all their reputations and all of their employees. In the end he picked the parlor Jou was working at, because he felt they would be best for the job. Orignally he was going to ask the owner to do that tattoo for him, but the man, Kudo he reminded himself, insisted that he had his apprentice do it, saying that he was the best for the job. As much as he hated to admit it, Kudo had been right. The design that Jounouchi had presented to him was flawless, he couldn't turn it down, even if he did have conflicting emotions about it.

Those hands, that was what really got to him. They were so thorough and gentle on his skin, causing him pain, and yet a strange amount of comfort at the same time. They were way too warm, too close to him, and he could hardly bear it. It made him feel way too vulnerable, a feeling he didn't like experiencing. He felt left wide open and defenseless and yet at the same time, confident in the fact that he was in good hands, that he could trust the blonde. He hadn't been lying when he had told Jounouchi he wasn't afraid of the pain. It was those hands that terrified him.


	4. four

Seto managed to put sleep off as much as possible. While most people found sleeping relaxing and refreshing, it was something that he hated to do. For one, it was such a waste of valuable time; time he could spend working out glitches in programs or going through files. The body wasn't like a battery that could recharge; there was no reason as to why it shut down, physically, at the end of the day. Scientists had yet to find a specific reason as to why the human body even needed rest. There were plenty of theories, but none could be agreed upon or confirmed as fact. A popular one was that the brain needed time to recover from the massive amounts of information it received each day; sort of like a computer compacting files, or deleting unnecessary information. There were times when he could go for days without sleep, but basic human physiology always claimed him in the end, proving that even his mind was not very different from the rest of the human race.

Last night had been one of those nights. It had been only for a few hours, but it was enough to make him feel both revitalized and weakened at the same time. It wasn't the act of sleeping itself that really bothered him; it was dreaming. It was the only time when he had no control over his mind, and that bothered him -- probably a little more than was healthy.

Thoughts of a certain blonde had dominated his unconscious mind, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Those hands had been all over him last night, and he had been helpless until he had awoken panting, a sheen of sweat covering his body. The dreams started innocently enough; at first they were dueling. He liked the way Jou shuffled his deck, a bit sloppier than most, but light and delicate and the same time. Then they were at his house, and Jou was there, touching him, his hand brushing against him accidentally as he's reaching for the remote to the CEO's large television set, flipping through the channels without permission. Then, those hands were grabbing at his shirt, undoing the buttons, ghosting over a nipple. Seto shuddered as he recalled the dream, the list of what those hands did to him growing dirtier and dirtier.

"Seto, are you coming down? I made omelets!" The brunette was snapped out of his thoughts as the head of his younger brother peeked in through the door.

"I'll be there in a few minutes, Mokuba," he replied and went about finishing his morning routine, taking a quick shower to get the traces of sweat off of him. He was grateful for the fact that Mokuba had taken an interest in cooking over the past few years. His own attempts were disastrous at best, so it was a nice change to have a home cooked meal once in awhile.

"So, I called the office yesterday. They said you had taken a two hour break?" Mokuba asked curiously as his brother sat down at the table, placing a plate with slightly steaming fluffy eggs in front of him.

"Yes." Seto knew that it probably seemed odd to his brother. The employees probably found it suspicious, too. He wondered what the looks on their faces would be if they found out that the stuck up businessman they knew was sneaking out of the office to get inked up. It was probably stupid, but he liked knowing that it was probably an irrational thing for him to be doing; it made him feel sort of daring. He rarely got to experience the feeling, and it was quite refreshing.

"I had some…nightmares the night before," Seto answered, thinking it wasn't too far from the truth.

"Oh," Mokuba replied in a soft tone and sat down across from his brother, effectively ending the conversation. Mokuba knew about Seto's nightmares, even though he tried to hide him from them. Shortly after Gozaburo's death, he would hear him during the night, fighting against an imaginary opponent. He had been plagued even worse after their stay at Duelist Kingdom, so he wasn't too surprised by Seto's reluctance to sleep. His distaste for food though, was slightly confusing. "Please brother…eat." Seto looked up from the article he was currently reading.

"Of course…I'm sorry." Seto relented and took a bite of his food, smiling slightly when he saw how pleased his brother had looked. Sometimes the brunette wondered who was really taking care of whom. Mokuba was only slightly disappointed when he emptied half of Seto's plate into the garbage before seeing his brother leave for work.

"You made it," Jou commented as he heard the bell over the shop door ring, announcing Kaiba Seto's entrance. The shop was empty except for the two of them, and Seto found it odd not to find the older man there with him; he seemed to be there every day.

"Did you expect me not to?" Jou didn't respond, probably picking up on the fact that it wasn't a question meant to be answered. "It is the last session after all." For this, the brunette was extremely grateful. After today, he would never have to set foot in this place again, and he doubted he'd have anything to do with Jou for the rest of his lifetime, if he played his cards right. The blonde was already getting to him after just three days. It probably wouldn't have bothered him so much if it was just the blonde's usual, annoying personality. What really was bothering him was the fact that he was actually enjoying the blonde's personality, annoying as it might be.

"Just let me finish my coffee and we'll get started. Wouldn't want to fall asleep on you and miss out on the all the fabulous conversation." Jou winked and took another sip from his mug. Seto stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do with himself alone with the blonde and not having a needle drilling into his back. Usually, he would meet Jou in the private back area and they would get right to business. So why did it seem like today the blonde was stalling for some reason? "You can sit down, you know." Seto hesitated for a moment before taking a seat across the counter from Jou. "Want some?" Jou tilted his cup of coffee towards him.

"No thank you." He wasn't really sure if the blonde was suggesting that he'd make him some coffee or if he was inviting him to take a sip out of his own cup, but either way he didn't want any. What he wanted to do was get into the damned chair and get this finished once and for all. Then he wouldn't have to stare at the blonde's lips with each sip he took, wondering if they were as soft as his hands were. "Where's your boss?"

"Oh, he's come down with a bad flu thing. I was over there last night to bring him some stuff."

"That wasn't a very good idea; you might catch whatever it is that he has."

"Yeah, I realize that. But I wanted to catch something on TV as well. Mine's been on the fritz lately. I can't afford to buy a new one since my car insurance skyrocketed after that accident I had."

"Good to know I'm in the hands of someone who is so careful." Seto smirked slightly.

"Oh, shut up. I haven't heard you complain yet," Jou replied and Seto resented the fact that he couldn't deny it. Had they just been having a civilized conversation? "Allright, let's go."

Seto got settled in a comfortable position on the chair while Jou undid the bandages he had put on the last time. By now, he had become accustomed to the feeling of the needle on his skin; and as weird as it sounded, he almost sort of liked it. The buzz of the machine started up and Seto closed his eyes as Jou got to work. He didn't even notice when he started to drift off, his body becoming completely still. Why was it that he felt more relaxed here than in his own bed?

"You still awake?" Jou asked softly, breaking up the silence after about twenty minutes.

"Yes."

"I'm almost finished," he stated, and Seto nodded his head, sighing softly when Jou's thumb brushed over his spine, hoping that the blonde didn't notice. It felt like he was dreaming again, and yet right now, he didn't mind the fact that his mind was currently being rendered useless. The soft humming of the needle and the sound of Jou's breathing were more than enough to keep his thoughts company.

"Seto?"

"Hn?"

"It looks so good," Jou stated proudly with an underlying hint of awe. Had he finished so soon? Seto felt like he had hardly spent any time there at all.

"I'm glad."

"Do you want to see it before I wrap it up?"

"No."

"Are you-"

"Please," Seto interrupted, and Jou was silent for a moment before he began placing the bandages. When the blonde was finished, Seto sat up and stretched out his arms and back, satisfied with the dull sting he felt. Now he could leave; it was over. Gathering up his clothes, he realized he had a problem.

"Is something wrong?" Jou looked up from the equipment he was putting away to see Seto searching his pockets.

"My wallet..." Seto groaned; how could he have been so careless? He had been stalled by an over extended board meeting and he'd had to hurry to make his 12:00 appointment with Jounouchi. "I must have forgotten it at the office."

"So...you don't have any money?" Seto scowled in response to the question, obviously displeased with the fact that he had screwed up. "Eh, don't worry about it. You can pay me later."

"When later?" Seto asked quickly. Just when he thought he was finally going to be rid of the blonde once and for all, it wasn't about to happen, and he had no one to blame but himself.

"Hm... what time to you get out of work?"

"Six."

"Okay, meet me at that restaurant across the street at 6:30." Jou pointed out the window to a building across the street and Seto nodded.

"Very well. I'll see you then."

"Where is that idiot?" Seto checked his watch to make sure he wasn't early, finding that wasn't the case. He hadn't seen the blonde outside, or in the entrance area of the restaurant. He checked the bar and he wasn't there, either. Fingering the envelope in his coat pocket he was eagerly waiting to deliver, Seto was beginning to grow impatient.

"Excuse me, sir, do you need help finding something?" A woman who was wearing an apron approached him. Presumably, she was someone who worked there, and she probably had noticed Seto wandering around aimlessly for the past ten minutes.

"That would be a someone," Seto sighed. "The name's Jounouchi Katsuya."

"Let's see..." The woman walked over to a nearby booth, checking the open book that lay on top of it. "Yes, he's in the back lounge area, reservation for two. May I escort you?"

"Please." Seto was hoping that whomever Jounouchi was dining with wouldn't be someone who would bother him too much; he had a transaction to complete and he didn't want anyone getting in the way.

"Oi, Seto! Over here!" Jou waved from where he was sitting at the booth, and to Seto's surprise, all by himself. "Have a seat."

"I wasn't planning on staying."

"You should though. Besides, I really hate to eat out alone."

"Is that right?"


	5. five

Jou didn't really know why he had made the reservations; it was obvious to him that all Seto wanted to do was make his payment and get the hell out of there. Maybe it was out of loneliness; all of his friends had moved away and it was finally getting to him. Maybe he was in desperate need of companionship. Or maybe he just really liked the way Seto had looked with his shirt off. He couldn't deny the fact that he was starting to take an interest in the man whom he had once tried to avoid at all costs. Whether it was purely physical appeal or something more, he didn't know; but he couldn't help but wonder that if he could create something that soared to life so beautifully on a person, then some of that beauty must linger inside them. "So...um..." Jou started lamely as the man across the table stared at him impatiently.

"Here." Seto took the opportunity to slide the envelope across the table, the blonde catching it before it could fall off the edge. "Everything should be there."

"Thanks. You should take a look at the menu."

"I don't see you looking at it." It was an odd reply; sort of like a counter a 12 year old boy would make, but Jou sensed that Seto was just a bit on edge. He was probably not used to dining out in a casual manner, especially attending something that slightly resembled a date.

"I come here all the time; I already know what I'm going to order."

"I'm not hungry" Seto replied flatly, and even though everything in his demeanor indicated that he didn't want to be there, he made no move to leave. Jou was about to protest when a waitress came over to greet them.

"Oh, hello Jou. Will you be having the usual today"

"Yeah, two of them please."

"Hungry are we"

Jou laughed. "Well yeah, so is my friend." Seto made a strange face at the comment, something between distaste and shock. Jou figured it was probably a combination of the fact that he had ordered for him even after he said he wasn't hungry, and that he actually referred to himself as Seto's friend, but one could never be too sure with the brunette

"Oh I see" The woman grinned at Jou"Aren't we lucky." She gave a suggestive wink after effectively sizing the brunette up.

"It's nothing like that." Jou laughed nervously, turning to look at Kaiba only to see him glance quickly to the side, feigning disinterest.

"Alright then, I'll be out with your orders in a few."

"So..." They were right back where they started, and the awkward silence was really starting to annoy Jou. "How's Mokuba? I haven't seen the kid in a long time."

"He's gotten so much taller" Seto let out before he could stop himself, and Jou smiled slightly, knowing that this was probably the one topic Seto would speak fondly of. "He's doing fine" Seto stated after a moment and Jou nodded, guessing that conversation was already over with and his 'ace in the hole' had hardly done him any good. "He...wants to become a chef."

"Oh really" Jou asked, sounding surprised, but more so because Seto had actually chosen to continue sharing this information with him.

"Yes. He had to take some classes in school about it and it unexpectedly became a passion of his."

"That's good; I wish I had known what I wanted to do with my life when I was his age." It wasn't that tattooing was something Jou planned on doing for the rest of his life, but it certainly was fun in the here and now.

"Hn" Seto grunted slightly, in what Jou recognized as a standard acknowledgment of something that displeased him.

"And...you're not happy with that"

"I haven't raised him, given him the title of vice president of my company, and sent him to all the best schools money can buy just to become a cook." Comprehension dawned on Jou as he thought, 'Ah, so that's what this is all about; Seto wants his brother to follow in his footsteps; it makes perfect sense after all.'

"It makes him happy though, right"

"Yes...It does" Seto replied softly, obviously not pleased with the fact but not selfish enough to deny his only family member something that made him happy. "And while I'd never force him to do something he doesn't want to do, I'm still hoping he takes into consideration other career choices."

"Maybe he will."

"How is your sister...Shizuka was it" Jou was a bit surprised that Seto had remembered he had a sibling, never mind actually remember her name.

"Oh, well, she's still in High School. I try to visit her as much as possible, but she hasn't got that much free time now that she's working part time on the side."

"When did you decide to become a tattoo artist" To Jou, this question seemed to come out of nowhere, but he didn't want to stop the flow of conversation now that Kaiba had decided to act human. It felt odd though, to be just talking to him casually like this. Jou was half expecting him to call him a third-rate duelist or throw out some pathetic dog insult at any moment.

"I sorta just fell into it. It was never what I planned to be doing. But, I found I was good at it and I liked it so I'm sticking with it for now."

"How nice for you" Seto replied, sounding slightly resentful.

"Do you like your job"

"It's not a matter of liking it; it has to be done regardless of what I feel."

"So I'm guessing that's a no." When he received no response, he continued"You could always do something else. With your reputation you could pretty much do anything you wanted, and I'm sure there are people who could take care of the company for you."

"I would hate to give up control of the company I pretty much built from the ground up after the prior owner met an untimely end. It's been my life's work."

Jou wanted to remind him that even though he seemed to think that he was so much older and wiser than everyone else, Kaiba was still only 18 years old. He had a whole other life ahead of him to work on, if he chose to. Instead, he said"I guess I can understand that. It's a shame though...you'd make a wonderful actor. With those movie-star good looks and an affinity for drama and all." Jou poked at his silverware, only realizing afterwards that he had inadvertently complimented Kaiba on his looks. Luckily, Seto didn't really seem fazed by the comment, if his silence was any indication.

"Hello again boys, enjoy your meal." The waitress returned and placed two steaming plates of food in front of them before disappearing once more. Jou was relieved to finally be getting some food in his stomach but at the same time, he was also slightly disappointed; the conversation was actually just starting to get interesting.

"What on earth is this" Seto sneered and poked at his food tentatively with a fork as Jou began digging in.

"Philly Cheese Steak"

"And...you actually expect me to eat this" Seto made it a point to avoid greasy American food at all costs, but he knew from experience that the blonde would eat anything that wasn't still moving.

"Come on Kaiba, live a little. I promise it's not going to sprout tentacles and latch on to your intestines or anything."

"Thanks for painting such a lovely picture for me." Seto sighed and began nibbling on a fry. They ate in relative silence after that. Well, Jou ate while Seto moved stuff around on his plate a bit and made snide comments on how poor Jou's table manners were.

"Sirs, are you ready for the check"

"Yes" Seto answered before Jou had a chance, which was too bad for the blonde because he was considering having some ice cream.

"Eager to leave so soon"

"Mokuba is probably wondering where I am."

"Oh." Jou wasn't sure if that was a truthful answer, but at least if it wasn't, Kaiba had shown the decency to not admit that he was hating this.

"Here you go." The waitress placed a little rectangular black book on the table and made her exit.

"Uh...what are you doing" Jou raised an eyebrow as he watched Seto take a look at the check and then reach in his pocket.

"It's called paying."

"No, I got it."

"I can't let you do that."

"Look, I'm the one who made the arrangements, I'll pay. Besides, you hardly ate anything at all."

"I told you I wasn't hungry."

"Good, then we agree." Jou reached into his wallet to pull out some bills just as Seto called the waitress over and offered her his charge card. "Dammit Kaiba" Seto paused, seeing an angry Jou acting familiar towards him for the first time all evening. "I said I got it" Seto really didn't want to start a scene in the middle of a crowded area so he relented, tucking the card back in his pocket.

"Very well" Seto stated simply and Jou sighed and tucked the money in with the check, apologizing to the waitress who had just watched the whole scene. "At least let me get the tip."

"Let it go already, will you? Just because you make more money than me, doesn't mean I need you to do me any favors." Jou finished up what was left of his soda, not making eye contact with the man across the table from him.

"I should be going."

"Yeah, you do that." Jou grumbled, still not looking up at Seto. The brunette gathered his things and got up from the table. He was eager to get home, and wondered why he had even stayed as long as he had.

Jou sighed as he made his way down the deserted sidewalk, his stomach turning from all the oily food he had just eaten. If he owned a car, he could already be home right now, but he still hadn't gotten around to purchasing one. Even though he was now independent, money was still as tight as ever. Maybe he really should have let Kaiba pick up the bill, but his pride won out over his financial situation in the end, as always.

If he had a car, he would also not have the time to gaze up at the night sky and let his mind wander out of pure boredom. Walking gave him way too much time to think about the events that had transpired this evening, and about the person who had walked out of the restaurant and virtually out of his life for good - before he could even get to be a part of it. Maybe it was stupid for him to think that a few days of relatively pleasant interaction was enough to erase years of conflict. Things had been so comfortable with Kaiba lying underneath him at work; why did it feel so different when they were face to face?

Jou opened the door to his dark apartment and threw he keys somewhere on a nearby counter, flipping on a switch to illuminate the living room. He always thought he'd love having his own place, and he did, most of the time. It was nights like this though that he'd have preferred hearing whatever his dad was watching on tv in the background, or even just the loud snoring that usually drove him crazy.

Unfortunately, there was nothing to keep his thoughts company but the random creaks of the floorboards and the heat switching on and off. Had his life depended so much on companionship for comfort that the silence was starting to eat away at him? Why was he finding comfort in the only familiarity he had left in this town, Kaiba Seto of all people? Maybe loneliness really did breed desperation.

It had only felt like a few hours of restless sleep, but when Jou rolled over to read the clock, he found that he had actually slept in a bit late. It didn't matter though, it was a weekend so no work, and not even Saturday morning cartoons were enough to tempt him into getting out of bed right now. Rolling over, he had almost forgotten about the noise that had woken him up in the first place, until the knocking on the door got louder and more insistent.

"Morning?" Jou peeked out from under his messy bangs, glaring against the bright early sun as he opened the door.

"Package for Jounouchi Katsuya."

"That's me."

"Sign here please."

"Yeah sure…" Jou took a hold of the large package, surprised that it was a bit heavy. He hadn't been expecting anything, but he eagerly sliced open the tape holding the box together. Perhaps it was something from Honda; he sent him care packages once in awhile, even though Jou resented the fact that his friend felt as thought he needed to take care of him. The thought was always comforting nonetheless. Opening the box, Jou groaned as the Styrofoam peanuts got all over his kitchen floor, but he didn't have the energy to pick them up just yet. He slid the slim black object from its confines, blinking down at the unexpected gift. It was what appeared to be a medium size flat screen TV, the kind that could be hung on the wall, the kind that Jou would always ogle over whenever he passed by the entertainment section of any department store. A folded piece of paper slipped out of the box, and Jou opened it, hoping it would offer him some clue as to what god up there had decided to be so kind to him.

"Jounouchi, thank you for a job well done, and for an enjoyable dinner…" Jou read the words out loud to himself slowly, his grogginess still not diminishing, "…Sincerely; Kaiba Seto." Jou blinked down at the note in his hands, his mind slowly putting together what had just happened. Damn that Kaiba could be a sneaky bastard.


	6. six

It was about 8:15 in the morning; Seto was working on his fifth cup of coffee and going over various product reports when his intercom buzzer rang. "Yes?" He waited for his secretary to answer, not taking his eyes off the screen as took a sip of the hot beverage. 'A little too hot', he thought as he grimaced at the slightly numb state of his tongue, reminding himself to find whomever had prepared this cup and reprimand them thoroughly later.

"Sir…there's a young man here who's demanding to see you. Should I call security?"

"The name?" Seto asked and waited a few moments for a response.

"Jounouchi."

"I see, send him up."

"Yes sir." Seto looked up from his work a few moments later as two security guards held open the large oak double doors to his office.

"Would you like some help with that?" one of the men asked as the blonde man staggered in a bit awkwardly, trying to balance a large television on one hip with both his arms wrapped around it.

"I can manage," Jou grumbled out as he proceeded to the edge of Seto's desk, behind which sat the brunette, patiently waiting with his arms folded, obviously unfazed.

"I see you've received my gift."

"No shit," Jou huffed as he placed his burden on the lacquered desk top, collapsing into a exhausted heap on the chair nearest to him a second later. "You know I can't accept this."

"Why not? You said your television wasn't working."

"I know that, but I still can't take this."

"So stubborn," Seto sighed and made a few clicks with his mouse. He typed in some text on his keyboard before looking back up at the blonde, who was staring back at him and looking quite irritated. "You're still here?"

"Yeah, I'd like an explanation as to why you think you can send me gifts. I don't need your charity, Kaiba."

"Fine then, I was only trying to be nice." Jou made a face at that comment, as if it was the most absurd concept he had ever heard in his life, "You can just leave it here and be on your way. If you don't mind, I have work to do." Jou sighed as the man turned back to his work, effectively ignoring him. The blonde wasn't even nearly satisfied with the outcome of this little conversation. He had wanted to chew out Seto for even thinking that he needed the bastard to take care of him. So what was this feeling of hesitation?

"How much was it?" Jou spoke up when he made no move to leave, staring down at Seto's fast moving fingertips that were flitting gracefully over the keyboard.

"Hn? The television?" Seto asked, not bothering to look up at the blonde and instead continuing with his work.

"Yeah, I'll pay you back. It seems like a waste of time to have you return it when I was planning on buying it anyway," Jou half bluffed; he had wanted to buy a new one, but it probably wouldn't have been one that expensive.

"I see; I guess that will work." Seto couldn't understand why the blonde couldn't just accept the gift and be grateful, but he decided to allow Jou that one small compromise. Not including the ones for Mokuba, he could count how many gifts he had given in his lifetime on one hand, and not one of them had ever been refused. "The price was 10,000 yen." Seto informed him. In reality it cost about twice that amount, but the brunette felt the mutt really didn't need to know that.

"I guess…I could swing that. I'll have to stop by the bank though." Jou scratched the back of his neck self consciously, wishing that Seto would actually look him in the eye instead of treating him like he was invisible.

"Alright, come by here at 7, I should be done with all my work by then."

"Fine…" Jou got up and prepared to leave. As an afterthought, he turned and asked, "Um…do you mind if I leave that here for now? It's a bitch to carry that thing across town at this time of day." Jou gestured towards the flat screen he had left on top of the CEO's desk.

"I can only imagine," Seto sighed and waved the boy away dismissively. "Until 7 then; don't be late," he repeated, as if Jou had the memory span of a goldfish or some other small animal.

"Yeah, I know, see ya then."

XxX

Jou withdrew the appropriate amount from his checking account with a grimace as he noticed his balance was now dangerously close to zero. It looked like that new car would have to wait even longer. That TV had better be the best goddamned thing he had ever laid eyes on, Jou thought as he began making the hike up to the Kaiba Corp offices.

The secretary in the front office let him into the elevator immediately; Kaiba had obviously informed her of his visit this time. It was nice not to have to go through the hassle of screaming and carrying on until he was allowed up, like he had done the last time. The secretary must have thought so too, as she shot Jou a wary look as though he were a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

"Yes, make sure you get those to me immediately…No I don't think so, just get it done!" Jou had walked in on what seemed to be a tiring conversation. While Seto was on the phone, the blonde made himself comfortable in an armchair while he waited. "I have to go, don't make me ask you again!" Seto snapped when he realized his guest had arrived, slamming down the phone in annoyance.

"Here's the money." Jou placed a wad of cash on the desktop, which Seto picked up and counted it before slipping it into a pocket.

"Alright, my driver should be downstairs by now; do you want a ride home?"

"Yeah, thanks." The brunette nodded and the two headed towards the elevator and into the awkward silence that awaited them. It was different from when they were back at the tattoo parlor, the silence had been comfortable then; now, it was just heavy. "So…was buying that gift for me some sort of twisted payback for me not letting you pay for dinner or something?" Jou finally asked, sure that he had figured out the method behind Seto's warped logic this time.

"What are you talking about? I could care less what you do with your money. If you want to spend it on a meal that I didn't even eat, that's your business," Seto spoke matter of factly, quickly checking his watch then picking his head back up when they reached the bottom floor. "Let's go, we'll be late."

"Huh? Late for what?" Jou asked as he tried to keep up with Seto's long stride, catching a glimpse of the sleek limousine waiting for them outside.

"Nothing, nevermind," Seto snapped before he shooed Jou into the limo, following right behind him and signaling to the driver with a snap of a finger to began driving. Jou yelped slightly from the brunette's forcefulness before he shook his head and made himself comfortable amidst the plush leather interior.

"How do you like the tat?" Seto shrugged at the blonde's unexpected question.

"I haven't looked at it yet."

"What, why not?" Jou asked, mystified. "Are you regretting it now or something?"

"In a way…yes," Seto smirked as if he had just indulged in a very amusing inside joke, one that Jou wasn't a part of. It was sort of like the look he got whenever he drew one of his prized blue eyes at just the right time. It always made Jou uneasy, even after all this time.

"Eh…whatever," Jou shrugged, not up to trying to figure out what the hell was going on in Seto's head. It always lead him nowhere and he only succeeded in making his own head hurt. The blonde turned to gaze out the window, resting his head on an arm, suddenly felling very tired; Seto had that effect on him sometimes. He noticed them going down some streets that he didn't recognize, but he didn't say anything. He assumed that over-paid limo drivers, like Kaiba's surely was, knew all sorts of nifty short-cuts around town.

"We're here."

"This isn't my house," Jou frowned, wondering just what the hell was going on.

"I know." There was that damned smirk again. Jou really did hate that smirk.


End file.
